Admit It to Me
by emeyers
Summary: AU. Jeremy and Tyler are dating but there's a catch to their relationship-one that Tyler isn't thrilled about but will tolerate for Jeremy's sake. However, when Vicki Donovan makes a play for Tyler, Jeremy realizes his error and corrects it by standing firm and ordering Vicki to keep her hands off his man. Established Jyler with Jealous!Jeremy. Please R


**Disclaimer**: Nothing that you recognize belongs to me.

**Warnings**: Slash, Nonrelated, Language, & Moderate Sexual Content

**Admit It to Me**

At the shrill ringing of my alarm clock, I throw my hand out and fumble for the snooze button, desperate for a few extra minutes of sleep. Instead, my hand knocks against something hard and my eyes snap open at the loud crash; bolting upright, I peer over the side of my bed and cringe.

Shards of glass litter my water-stained carpet.

Groaning, I reach over and shut off my blaring alarm; hopeful the noise didn't wake Aunt Jenna or Elena, I stare at my door and hold my breath. The consistent tick_,_ tick, tick of my clock fades into the background and the muscles in my back tighten the longer I wait.

Neither Aunt Jenna nor Elena appears.

Body relaxing, I flop back on my bed and grunt as the knots in my shoulders recede; unfortunately due to the combination of adrenaline pumping through my veins and the glaring sunlight spilling into my room, sleep eludes me. With a sigh, I stare up at the ceiling before glancing over at the person lying beside me: Tyler Lockwood. Sometime during the night, his sheet slipped below his waist and now I'm presented with a front row view of his lean and toned muscles. Careful not to disturb him, I scoot closer, resting my head beside his and running my fingers through his hair as I watch the rising and falling of his chest.

Given how we act now, many people argue and even deny the fact that we were once enemies. However, during our high school freshman and sophomore years, we despised each other; while Tyler was content with ignoring me, I, still hurting from the fresh loss of my parents, lashed out and often provoked him into fighting with me. To this day, I'm not sure why I did. Maybe, on a subconscious level, I liked the adrenaline rush or maybe I just wanted his attention and didn't care how I got it.

Who knew constant teasing, wall slamming, and public humiliation acted as a cover for hidden feelings?

With a loud squeal, my alarm interrupts my thoughts. Sighing, I reach over and silence it once more before throwing back my covers and yawning as I stretch my arms above my head. Several back muscles pop and I grunt at the abrupt discomfort before sitting up and blinking away the lingering traces of sleep.

A pair of arms loops around my waist.

"Tyler," I chuckle as his warm chest presses against my back, "it's time to get up."

Groaning in frustration, he shakes his head and tightens his grip. "No...let's stay in bed all day."

"As much as I'd love to do that," I say, glancing back at him, "I have a chemistry test today that I can't afford to miss. I need this class to graduate otherwise summer school here I come."

"Then I'll write you a note and you can skip it."

Before I can protest, Tyler hooks his finger under my chin and brushes his lips over mine. Unbidden, my eyes close and as my arms curl around his shoulders, I deepen our kiss. Chuckling, he shifts closer, his tongue tapping against my lip until my jaw relaxes. As he explores my mouth, I arch up into him, my nails digging into his skin. He groans and maneuvers me onto my back. Breaking our kiss, Tyler gazes down at me, his expression fond before throwing a leg over and straddling my waist. He resumes kissing me and when his tongue coaxes its way into my mouth once again, I can't help whimpering. If he keeps this up, we'll never make it to school on time.

Regretfully, I pull away. "Tyler," I say, my tone an almost childish whine, "you're not playing fair."

He shrugs one shoulder as if to say "What did you expect?" and flashes me a pointed look. "You know it's your fault I don't wanna get up...you kept me up late last night."

"I don't recall hearing you complain."

"Because, when it comes to you, I never do."

Once more, he leans forward and teases his lips over mine. My palm presses against his chest but instead of pushing him away, my resolve weakens even farther. However, at the feel of his teeth grazing my neck and then biting me, I release a loud groan and claw at his back, wanting to be closer. Seconds later, he leans back and smirks while stroking the purple-red bruise. I shake my head and sigh; thank goodness the weather has turned cold, otherwise people might question my choice of wearing long-sleeved turtle necks or scarves.

"You always did love the taste of me," I say, cupping and thumbing his face. He hums his agreement, leaning into my touch and smiling. Anticipating another make out session, I buck my hips and flip us over. "Sorry, mister but I have school."

"I know," he says with a heavy sigh.

Feeling somewhat guilty, I lean down and peck his lips. "Later I promise you can have me."

With a wink, I slide out of bed and, avoiding the broken glass, shuffle down the hall into my bathroom. Switching on the shower, I adjust the water temperature before slipping inside and groaning at the warm spray. Behind me, the curtain rustles as it's pulled aside and Tyler joins me and kisses my shoulder, his arms wrapping around my middle. I groan and relax against him, my head lying in the crook of his neck before straightening when he grabs the shampoo bottle.

Once finished, I dry off, wrap a towel around my waist, and brush my teeth before heading back into my room. Discarded clothes and overturned books, their pages sprawled and bent, litter my floor; at the sight, my cheeks flush with the stark reminder of last night.

_My door slams open._

_Head snapping up, I gape at Tyler and stare at yet another crescent moon shaped dent decorating my wall. Would it kill him to knock? However, as feral yellow eyes lock with mine, my frustration vanishes and I clutch the edges of my textbook. Without breaking our gaze, Tyler shuts and locks the door, flipping the lock in place before stalking towards my bed. Swallowing hard, I shake my head, my mouth opening in protest._

_Lips crash against mine, aggressive and demanding._

_Unbidden a whimper erupts from my throat as I arch up and grip his shoulders. Mattress dipping from his added weight, I ignore the sudden thumping sounds as Tyler shoves my school books and excess papers onto the floor and then presses me down against the sheets. Instinctively my legs fall open and I sense rather than see his smirk as he rips off our clothes._

Shaking aside my memories, I pause by my shirt and pick it up, examining its tattered remains. Unable to wear it again, I toss it in the trash and glare at Tyler who's too busy cleaning his teeth to notice.

Unless he learns to control his sexual urges, he's gonna owe me a whole new wardrobe.

With another sigh, I cross over to my dresser, slip on a clean pair of jeans, and grab a form-fitted black long-sleeve shirt from my closet. Afterwards, I comb and style my hair. Moments later, Tyler reenters my room and while he dresses, I vacuum up the broken glass shards and mop up the excess water.

Ten minutes later, we troop downstairs for breakfast. On the fridge, there's an attached note with Elena's handwriting; turns out Aunt Jenna spent the night with Mr. Saltzman, due to their date "running late," and Elena left earlier to meet up with her boyfriends, Stefan and Damon Salvatore. Well that explains why neither of them complained about the noise earlier. Crumpling the note, I grin at the prospect of more alone time with Tyler before grabbing two bowls from the cupboard, one for Tyler's Coco Puffs and the other for my Cornflakes. Careful not spill any milk, I join him at the table and smile when his thigh rubs against mine. After eating and rinsing out our dishes, I place them in the dishwasher and then head back upstairs to collect my backpack.

"Ready whenever you are," I say as I bound down the steps.

After retrieving and tying his shoes, Tyler heads outside. I dig my keys out and lock the front door before following him over to his vintage '71 Buick GS, sliding into the front seat, buckling my seatbelt, and leaning back as the engine roars to life. After checking his rear and side mirrors, Tyler back out of the driveway and drives in the direction of Mystic Falls High. Closing my eyes, I run through a mental check list of what I need to know in order to pass my chemistry test. Once satisfied that I didn't forget anything, I segue into reciting the elements on the periodical chart: Hydrogen. Helium. Lithium. Beryllium. Boron. Carbon. Nitrogen. Oxygen. Fluorine. Neon. Sodium. Magnesium. Aluminum. Silicon. Phosphorus. Sulfur. Chlorine. Argon.

A hand covers mine.

Startled, my eyes fly open and I glance at Tyler, his expression an unfamiliar mixture of fondness and something I can't describe. While waiting for the traffic light to turn green, he interlocks our fingers, lifting my hand and kissing my knuckles. I flinch and pull my hand away, casting quick glances over my shoulder.

Did anyone see?

Something akin to hurt flares up in Tyler's eyes as he returns his attention to the road. Shoulders slumping, I open my mouth to apologize but saying "I'm sorry" never seemed so difficult.

For the next two blocks, neither of us says anything and with each passing second the tension grows thicker. Right when I work up the courage to say something, he turns into the Mystic Falls High parking lot and pulls into his preferred spot. As he switches off the engine, our gazes once again lock. Tell him, a voice shouts in the back of my head. Tell him now.

Unfortunately my lips stay sealed.

Releasing a soft sigh, Tyler climbs out of the car, the door slamming shut behind him. I blink and stare at the empty space, his expression replaying over and over in my mind. Groaning, I clench my fists and curse before grabbing my bag and exiting Tyler's car.

Laughter fills the air as students congregate on the school grounds. Near the entrance, I spot my older sister, Elena, leaning back in the arms of Stefan while Damon stands between her legs and kisses her neck. I shake my head, unable to understand their strange threesome arrangement. Over by the lunch tables, Elena's best friend, Bonnie Bennett, sits beneath a tree with a book balanced across her lap while Caroline Forbes, Aimee Bradley, Sarah Walsh, and Anna Zhu stand off to the side, practicing their cheer routines. As I cross the parking lot, I search for Tyler and find him beside his best friend, Matt Donovan. For a brief moment I contemplate the idea of coming out to Matt but freeze in mid-step as the rest of the football team joins Matt and Tyler. Sighing, I turn away.

No one would accept my relationship with Tyler.

Although we're dating, we have an unspoken agreement that we act like two friends in public. Even though Tyler argues that my coming out won't cause as big of an uproar as I think, I disagree. Even though he's an openly gay member on the football team, that doesn't guarantee I'll receive the same immunity. Everyone here, students, teachers, and faculty, love and respect Tyler, whereas I, on the other hand, am nothing more than an ex-druggie screw up that everyone pities but no one cares about. Why else did the yearbook staff nominate me for the "Least Likely to be Remembered" category?

As I turn away, I spot Vicki Donovan reclining against a nearby lunch table, her gaze fixed on Tyler who's laughing at some joke Matt told. Licking her lips, she straightens up before shrugging off her jacket and revealing a dark green, skin-tight tube top dress that accents her willowy figure and flawless skin. Loosening her hair tie and fluffing her curls, Vicki saunters towards my boyfriend, the sashay of her hips a clear indicator of her intentions.

Throat tightening, my fingers tighten around my backpack strap and my gaze narrows.

Oh hell no you don't, bitch!

Vicki reaches him first and, her back to me, taps Tyler's shoulder. Because she's Matt's sister, Tyler greets her with a polite nod and smile before returning his attention to Matt and his teammates. Instead of accepting his rejection, Vicki links her arm through his, demanding his attention, and grips his jacket. Lips thinning into a straight line, Tyler alternates between staring at her and her hand.

She doesn't catch the hint.

"Wanna go make some memories?" she asks, leaning forward, her face tilted up towards his.

Unable to stop myself, I grab her hair and with a hard tug, yank her away from Tyler. With a loud scream, she stumbles back, tripping over her feet and lying sprawled on the ground. Conversations cease as countless students freeze and stare. Even Matt's struck silent. Yet no one moves to help Vicki. I glance down at my hand and shake away a few lingering hair strands before positioning myself between her and Tyler. "I'm so sorry, *Victoria,*" I say, my voice a sweet, sarcastic tone, "but Tyler's already taken and we don't do threesomes."

Her glare morphs into an expression of surprise. Behind me, Tyler goes still and stares at me. Instead of looking back at him, I stay focused on Vicki, her face a grayish pallor as she climbs to her feet and dusts off her dress. "You're such a little boy, Jeremy. It's no wonder you're gay. Tyler, however, is a man and staying with you will hold him back."

I clench my teeth and swallow hard. No matter how much I deny it, dating someone like her would be easier for Tyler. Unlike with me, he wouldn't need to deal with the hassle of degrading comments and/or constant criticism.

Tyler grips my shoulder. "Why should I settle for second best when I already have the best?" Eyes widening, I spin around and stare. Doesn't he realize that she's right? Dating me will only hinder his reputation. "Sorry to disappoint you, Vicki, but I'm with Jere and that's not gonna change."

A deafening silence falls as Vicki stares, blinking once, twice, three times as an unflattering blush spreads across her cheeks. Encouraged by Tyler's silent assurance, I take a deep, mental breath. It doesn't matter what everyone else thinks. I'm with Tyler because I want him.

"He's mine, Victoria; hands off."

With a huff, she spins on her heel and stalks away, snatching up her discarded jacket and disappearing into the crowd. Seconds tick by and yet no one says anything. As I glance around at different people, their eyes shift away from mine. My throat tightens and I squeeze my eyes shut. I'm an idiot; it's one thing to tell off Vicki Donovan for flirting with my boyfriend, but I also publicized my sexuality. Why didn't I keep my mouth shut? Would Aunt Jenna argue if I begged her to send me to a private school?

Lips press against my neck.

Whining at their slow ascent up my neck, I lean back against Tyler. As his hand cups my cheek, I meet his gaze and swallow at the intensity of affection and desire emanating from his eyes. With a whispered "thank you," his mouth covers mine; although it's nothing more than a gentle press of lips against each other, his grip on my thighs betrays his true feelings.

"I knew they were dating."

"It's about time one of them admitted it."

"I'm surprised they kept it secret for so long."

"I always knew Jeremy was hot for Tyler."

"They make just a cute couple, don't you think?"

I almost breathe a sigh of relief at the other students' acceptance, but now I realize I don't need it. As long as I'm content with who I am that's all I need.

Breaking the kiss, I share a smile with Tyler. "Hi."

"Hi," he says, running his fingers through my hair and chuckling when I lean into his touch.

"So uh…surprise."

"That was a wonderful surprise."

I groan as he kisses me again, but this time I don't hold back. Why should I? I just fought for my guy and won. Who wouldn't see that as cause for celebration? Turning around in his arms, I arch up into him, my arms circling around his neck and gripping his hair. As his lips slide over mine, I push closer and release a small whimper. At the slight twitch of his lips, I pull back and smack his chest.

"Stop smirking."

Unfortunately my action only causes it to widen. "I can't help it...that was the hottest thing I've ever seen."

"Is that so?" Wiggling my eyebrows, I back up even more until I'm leaning against the chain-linked fence.

Tyler nods and moves closer, bracing his hands on either side of my head. "It sure was."

Leaning forward, I nibble on his ear, unaware of where this flare of confidence came from. Usually I prefer remaining on the sideline and not drawing attention to myself. Yet, here I am, in full view of the whole Mystic Falls High student body and I don't care who sees us.

Groaning, Tyler seizes my wrists and pins them above my head. "Seems like little Jeremy Gilbert has become a bit of a tease."

"Is that a problem?"

"I didn't say that." He tightens his hold on my wrists.

I groan and bend my head back. "So what are you gonna do?"

"Does it really matter?" As I shake my head, he chuckles and leans closer so his mouth is next to my ear, smirking at my blatant shiver. "What do you want me to do?"

"I just want you in any way possible right now." He arches an eyebrow and I bite back a laugh; that's not what I meant. "That'll get us suspended."

"Without a doubt," he agrees. "Though I admit I like the idea of keeping you in this position."

"If you did that, then everyone else would see my body too." I smirk at the prospect of some possessive Tyler action. "However, all those eyes watching me, staring as you have your way with me…definitely hot."

Instantly his grip tightens and his lips peel back in a snarl. "You're mine; your body's for my eyes only."

"So," I shift at the swell of lust building in my stomach, "what's your backup plan?"

Leaning forward, his lips slid across the hollow of my neck, leaving open-mouth kisses over my skin; a strangled moan erupts from my throat as I throw my head back. Encouraged, he sucks even harder, his body rubbing against mine. Unbidden, my legs spread as more involuntary groans escape. Briefly, his teeth graze my skin before traveling up my neck and capturing my mouth with his. Flexing my fingers, I tighten my grip on the chain-linked fence and arch up into his; in turn, Tyler tightens his hold on my wrists as he catches my lower lip between his teeth, biting down and tugging on it. Moments later, he slows our kiss to a slight caress of lips before breaking free.

"Now," he says, "you go take your chemistry test and afterwards I'm stealing you because someone promised I could have him later." He smirks at my speechlessness. "It's not my fault you never specified what time later."

**Author's Notes**: Merry Christmas, everyone (probably belated by the time you read these but my goal was to post these updates sometime Christmas Day. For a while it didn't look like I would succeed, but thankfully I did. The updates which include:

1) Whispers of Eternity Chapter Three

2) Sweet Surrender Chapter Two

3) Open Your Heart to Us Chapter Thirteen

4) My Pet My Friend My Lover Chapter Two

Hope you enjoy these as much as I did writing them and to all I wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year—may the year 2013 be a lot better than 2012 was!


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